random information on website traffic improving etc Hugh
have just been doing some housekeeping in an email account and found some potentially useful stuff from SitePro news on search engine rankings, blogs, podcsting and other similar bits
would you like any of it forwarded to you? or do you already get this stuff?
let me know where if you do want me to forward it to you
cheers t
Internet Trolls- Where the Fairytale Ends Internet Trolls- Where the Fairytale Ends
According to storybooks, Trolls are disgusting, smelly creatures that live under bridges. Trolls eat goats and small children. Growing up surrounded by fairy tales, what they didn’t explore was a new breed of troll. The Internet Troll. Equally vile and disgusting, if Internet trolls smell, we can’t vouch for that. Nor can we attest that they eat goats or small children. We don’t believe those items appear on their menu. But, we could be wrong.
Moderating a popular forum, we have had to deal with several types of trolls. We would like to introduce you to them now. They are in a class by themselves.
Shock Patroll- Disgusting, and vile, he may just eat goats and small children; we are not convinced he doesn’t. In his resident trashcan he has a vast selection of smut (heavy emphasis on graphic images).
Using popular search engines, he surfs for forums frequented by women and children. Before you can circle the wagons to protect the “wimmenfolk” he attacks.
With deep deception, he opens up countless subjects using innocuous and compelling subject lines; “Help! My 5-year old just swallowed all my medication…!”
Or- “I feel so bad. I just ran-over a dog!”
When the well-meaning folk go running with cyber- Kleenex and support, they are confronted with pornographic images capable of making them heave their cookies.
Dazed and confused they quickly leave, reporting the intruder to the moderators. Worst yet, some folk begin posting on the board: “Eeek! There’s a Troll!” causing the troll to heighten his attack, posting countless porn on the forums. His MO… Target the posts with the most hits. Go in and destroy the thread with smut.
Even the well-seasoned member is sickened by his evil intent. The only fitting punishment is banishment from the community. Or, as Lorena Bobbitt would say: “Off with his head!”
Master of Illusion Troll- Pulling countless white lies out of his hat, this Master of Deceit plays his tricks on the trusting eyes of an established internet community. Targeting those who still believe in the Easter Bunny, Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy, his slight of hand in posting can be very deceptive to those members.
Some of the well-seasoned posters are privy to this game of cards. However, trusting souls are sucked quickly into his mind games. The point of controlling his act is, find the weak link in his house of cards, knocking them flat, thus ending his performance.
The Master of Illusion does have a motive. He is looking for personal gain. Either, money for a “sick mother,” or some personal form of satisfaction from manipulation techniques he employs. Perhaps he is searching for those he considers “beneath him,” so he can effectively saw their souls in half with the stroke of a few keys.
The key to defeating him is to discover his bag of tricks and expose the Ace up his sleeve.
The Combat-Ready Troll- This warmonger likes to fight. Hand-to-hand combat, early morning air-strikes, fully armored vehicles, he launches all the weapons at hand with lethal intent. Invincible in his own mind, he spars with an extensive and exhaustive verbal arsenal targeting members and moderators alike.
If the forum has a stated position, he will lock-and-load on that issue, certain that he can change the “enemy’s mind” and alter their Constitution by bending their will, screaming all the while about his inalienable rights.
In this battle of will versus won’t – take no prisoners and show no mercy. The bill of rights only applies with the members who follow the proper rules of engagement.
Hit-and-Run- Troll: An out-of-control Troll his posts can be the speed-bumps of cyber life, His sudden appearance can put the most placid member into a skid as he goes for personal injury and summons up emotional outbursts by all who read his posts. He applies the pressure before fleeing the scene.
Off- road -recovery is to stamp his ticket. Don’t bother pursuing him. He is gone before you can take down his number. His posts have the same effect as stop strips. Once he has posted, his victims leave the scene of the crime stunned that anyone could cause such a wreck. You then are left with the looky-loos who stop to study the debris left by the side of the cyber highway.
The Tonya Harding Troll- In true freestyle fashion, this troll skates on thin ice. Jumping from topic to topic stirring up enough heat to melt a glacier, he glides along effortlessly.
He studies the rule book carefully looking for the judges comments. Knowing that a “back flip” is illegal, he performs it anyway calling it a “lay-out single.” He’ll argue till he’s blue in the face that it really wasn’t a “back flip” after all.
Carefully studying his competition, he brings them to their knees. His footwork may be fancy, but he does trip up occasionally.
Give this skater a low score and spiral him right out of the community courtesy of the banning option.
Toddler Troll- It is elementary when dealing with this primitive troll. He appears needy, wanting to be pacified. His “splinter” in his finger, can turn into a major medical disaster. Not only has the splinter festered for days, but the wood had lead paint on it. Now he has lead poisoning. His “mother” is typing a quick informational post, as the ambulance is screaming its way to the house to rush him to the ER before he dies.
If Toddler Troll doesn’t get the attention he needs, he pitches a classic tantrum posting his fits in UPPER CASE to make a point- though the only points appear to be growing out of the top of his head. Many gullible members rush in to soothe him, pat him on the back and tell him he is a wonderful person.
Moderators in the know however, will simply make this “boo boo” go away by activating the banning option.
The Alien Troll- this person’s brain has been lost in space. His posts are beyond the twilight zone, going where no man has ever gone before. This troll is skilled in weaving horrible tales about his life. He paints vivid and often graphic scenes of abuse and other horrors. He is a victim of his own imagination and boredom. He excels in scaring people that he is going to do harm to himself. He will vanish for days at a time just so people will ask…”whatever happened to …?” This troll belongs to the Darkside. Shuttle him off the board courtesy of the delete key.
The Stalker Troll- Nothing light-hearted about this troll. He is a scary individual. A Peeping Tom of sorts; looking into Internet windows that have nothing to do with Microsoft. This hard-hearted individual is looking for one thing- victims. Unwanted communications soon follow, anything from PM’s to phone calls as most Internet stalkers are cunning. They are obsessed in getting their own way not caring who they hurt.
Victims of the Stalker Troll find themselves shaken and ill-at-ease being on the boards. They often have to change their phone number and email address, or leave forums to achieve peace of mind. The Stalking Troll is calm and in control. When dismissed from the forums, he will try and re-register immediately or launch an off-board campaign against whoever he believes is responsible for his banishment, because after all he CAN’T possibly be responsible for that!
The Holy Troller- We thank Thee oh Lord for granting us the banning key. For allowing us the power to reach out and smite this sinner down…down…down… As we read his words You allow us to see the false witness hiding behind a cloak of Christianity that taints the soul. The Holy Troller believes that he has found a new congregation. He clambers up on his soapbox and prepares his sermon, but we exist to make him an unbeliever…can you say “Amen?”
He’s in his glory, but his glory is short-lived as even the devoutist of Christians find offense at his words. Hell hath no fury than a moderator with a PM box full of reported posts and complaints, and the guidance to find the banning option.
The Pirate Troll- Shiver me timbers, it’s the Pirate troll. An immature raiding party flanked by posts such as “Arrgh, walk de plank”……..or “Aye Matey wanna see my parrot?” Not so much harmful as annoying, the pirate troll plunders existing posts with inane comments that are not seaworthy but also don’t sink the mother ship. Bury their treasure in Under Review and set them adrift in the cyber- sea sailing straight to Delete Island.
The Great Pretender Troll- This troll is all things to all people. No really, All things! Medical problem? He’s a doctor. Debating a topic? He’s your instant- ready–to-greet Politician. Problem with your pet? He isn’t a veterinarian, but he plays one on the Internet. Looking for snake oil? Meet his miracle in a can. Oh, and did he mention the charitable work he does? Only about 100 times! A super-hero in his own mind (though his cape might be at the cleaners).Even Super Poster can’t keep up with him.
The Great Pretender is more of a nuisance than a threat. His x-ray vision makes him pretty transparent. Posters tire of his grandiose early on. Keep him around for entertainment value. He will raise your posting count quickly!
The Politically Incorrect Troll- Putting both feet squarely in his mouth, this troll preaches to a choir that isn’t there. His radical beliefs can be right-wing, left-wing, racist, animal rights, or world domination in content. Full of rhetoric, there is no meaty center to this troll. He believes he is a Big Mac, when in reality he is a Small Fry.
Adhering to outlandish or unrealistic views, he marches over the meekest poster leaving boot-prints in his path. Hoping his posts stick like crazy-glue to popular forums, he is enraged to discover that a moderator has used a magic eraser to remove his graffiti as soon as the forum is tagged, denying him access back into the kingdom he wants so badly to deface.
The “Goodbye You Meanie’s” Troll- The curtain call that never ends, this troll wants all his toys and the rulebook, or he will take all his marbles and go home. But he must have lost his compass, misplaced his map or perhaps he needs a guide dog, because he never quite gets around to leaving.
The members are “mean,” the moderators are “biased,” the rules are “unfair.” Either change the entire format of the forums, and rewrite the rules to his satisfaction, or he will lead a group effort and dictate a mass exodus off the boards. So as you watch him still in tracking, or see his ISP number appear as guest- get this troll out of your life by kicking him in the backside and parking his carcass elsewhere.
These are the Internet trolls that stand out from the rest. There are hundreds to choose from. Our hope is that in describing these types, we have prepared you for future encounters, so your forum members can post happily ever after.
I Prefer It Here, No Trolls
Weirdo trolls
I cant really post on sj at the mo with out seeing a mad obsessive post with my picture plastered on it
:you_smart
Duznt any1 else find this annoying
12…78
I Prefer It Here, No Trolls EVERYONE'S TOO FUCKING NICE AND HIPPYISH! AAAAAARGH!
*LadyP mourns lack of SJ
Too much niceity is making me force myself to eat Magnums......actually I think I might just be giving myself an excuse to eat more ice cream. But still eww with the fluffyness.12…78
Trolls Ive just posted a small part about trolling not being tollerated and that if people are being trolled or have info that they should approach one of the mods who in turn should discuss this the Admins to take relevant action.
I hope that this is ok with you all. It may just be chit chat but trolling is mentioned a few times in the general chat section.
What do you think?
Is Google Broken? Is 'Big Daddy' Choking Google?
May 9, 2006
By Ben Charny
Web site operators are clamoring to understand what can best be described as an ongoing disturbance in the Google Force.
Google's search engine, once a clean, lean indexing machine, from a Webmaster's perspective has been slipping badly lately.
Starting about two months ago, site operators have complained that their Web sites have suddenly disappeared from Google's index for no reason, tantamount to disappearing from the Internet.
Another common gripe is how a Web link mysteriously drops from a prominent place in search results to Page 43 or so. The list of gripes goes on.
Something is happening, although Google hasn't said what it is yet and likely won't on its annual Press Day, which is scheduled for May 10. Google usually makes a number of impressive announcements at this event. This year, there's some "product demos" in the offing, it promises.
But in the backdrop of all the shiny new Google stuff is the 800-pound gorilla of a question: What's going on? Many people suggest that Big Daddy's to blame.
Big Daddy is, in effect, a brand-new data center that Google uses to perform core search engine tasks like cataloging Web sites or serving up localized features. Google operates thousands of data centers across the globe.
The Big Daddy project stands out because search engines infrequently upgrade the computing and networking hardware. Instead, the focus is on new features to lure more site visitors, which translates to more search engine revenues.
By upgrading, Google can better compete against rivals Yahoo, the world's leading Internet destination but second to Google in search, and Microsoft, whose online MSN unit manages the world's No. 3 search engine.
The ultimate goal is a bigger slice of the $13.8 billion expected to be spent on Internet advertising in 2006, and even more in years going forward.
Every search engine is constantly tinkering, or buying new companies and absorbing their intellectual property. It's all to find new ways of attracting an ever bigger audience, which translates into higher advertising revenues.
Read more here about other Big Daddy sightings.
But as all the Big Daddy disruptions seem to indicate, there's always growing pains as companies sharpen a competitive edge.
As screen-name JohnW writes in a SearchEngineWatch forum: Google "rolled out some new technology to fix some things, and in the process they seem to have broken some other things. There isn't much to say about it other than it's broken.it is what it is and will be over when it's over."
Because of Big Daddy, the theory goes, Google must completely erase the databases where it keeps its 8 billion-plus Web pages. Then it will add Big Daddy and kick-start the indexing.
Next Page: Big Daddy comes knocking.
That explains why sites disappear, for instance, a few days or weeks at a time. It's Big Daddy knocking, say several posters at this search industry forum (password and username are required).
Another theory about the disruptions is based on comments about a Google "server crisis" from Google CEO Eric Schmidt to the New York Times. From those words comes the idea Google's plumb out of data storage. That too explains the indexing issues.
There's lots of speculation, and some quasi-confirmation from a prominent Google engineer, but Google didn't immediately respond to an e-mail seeking comment on the topic.
Much of what's known about Big Daddy comes from Google engineer Matt Cutts, who occasionally writes about the topic on his blog. A Google spokeswoman referred a reporter to Cutts' blog in response to an inquiry about the recent problems.
At the Cutts blog, there's an oft-cited March 27 Cutts-agram sent at the height of the initial wave of complaints. In it, Cutts claims Big Daddy's been fully deployed and he mentions how it will "stabilize."
He also warns that sites finding themselves off Google's reservation can expect it to take just a few days to show up in the index again.
Meanwhile, at Press Day, the worst-kept secret has been about the debut of Google Health, one of dozens of Google-operated search engines focused on narrower topics.
Read more here about other likely new Google search silos.
A Google spokesperson confirmed that the company is testing the feature.
"We have been doing a variety of research in the health area, including how to improve the quality of health-related search results," the spokesperson wrote in an e-mail. "We have nothing new to announce at this time."
There's also suspicion Google will unveil some more items from its partnership with computer manufacturer Dell Computers, based in Round Rock, Texas.
One dark horse rumor candidate is that Google will unveil a more sophisticated Internet phone service for its Google Talk instant message system. VOIP (voice over IP) is de rigueur for IM systems, yet Google Talk lags far behind competitors.
Microsoft's MSN recently unveiled a new version with deeper phone capabilities, and Yahoo, of Sunnyvale, Calif., is also more and more phone-focused with each upgrade, so there's certainly competitive pressures to do so.
Check out eWEEK.com's Search Center for the latest news, views and analysis on enterprise search technology.
Bush denies report of ‘trolling’ by NSA Bush denies report of 'trolling' by NSA
By Stephen Dinan and Charles Hurt
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Published May 12, 2006
President Bush yesterday said U.S. intelligence collection efforts are lawful and necessary to fight terrorism, as Capitol Hill lawmakers called for hearings into a report that the government has secretly obtained the phone-call records of millions of Americans.
"We're not mining or trolling through the personal lives of millions of innocent Americans. My efforts are focused on links to al Qaeda and their known affiliates," Mr. Bush said, responding to a USA Today report of a National Security Agency program.
The paper yesterday said that the NSA is collecting and analyzing the calling patterns of most telephone customers in the United States to try and track down terrorists, but does not collect names or other identifying information.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter, Pennsylvania Republican, said yesterday morning that he will call before his committee officials from the major telephone companies that are participating in the NSA effort.
Democrats blasted the Republican Congress for not more aggressively monitoring the administration's anti-terrorism activities.
"Shame on us for being so willing to rubber-stamp anything this administration does," said Sen. Patrick J. Leahy, Vermont Democrat. "We ought to fold our tents and steal away."
The program involves three major telephone companies: AT&T Corp., Verizon Communications Inc. and BellSouth Corp. The paper, citing anonymous sources, said the phone companies began turning over records after the September 11 terrorist attacks at the urging of the NSA.
One major company, Qwest, refused to participate despite strong pressure from the NSA, the paper reported. Qwest had concerns about the program's legality.
With the story boiling up yesterday morning, Mr. Bush responded personally, speaking for two minutes before leaving for a commencement address at a community college in Mississippi. He ignored a question about the nature of the program called to him by a reporter as he left the podium in the White House Diplomatic Reception Room.
The president never acknowledged the existence of the project, referring only to "new claims about other ways we are tracking down al Qaeda to prevent attacks on America."
But he said flatly that the United States is not listening to domestic calls without court approval and said Americans' privacy is "fiercely protected" by the government. He also pointedly noted that the United States has not been successfully attacked since the September 11 attack.
Mr. Bush is already facing criticism over the NSA's warrantless wiretapping program, which he says monitors U.S.-to-international calls of suspected terrorist affiliates.
Some House Democrats introduced a bill to require that every wiretap or attempt to gain records of Americans must be through a court-obtained warrant.
In the Senate, Mr. Specter, who has been sharply critical of the Bush administration's warrantless wiretapping program, said the reports raise fresh and serious concerns that he doubts will be adequately explained by administration officials.
"The committee will be having an additional hearing -- a fifth hearing -- on the subject," he said during a committee meeting yesterday. "We will be calling on AT&T, Verizon and BellSouth, as well as others, to see some of the underlying facts that we can't find out from the Department of Justice or other administration officials."
They also warned that the new revelations will lead to larger problems for the confirmation of Mr. Bush's nominee for CIA director -- Gen. Michael V. Hayden -- who as NSA director was deeply involved in the wiretapping program.
"I believe we are on our way to a major constitutional confrontation on Fourth Amendment guarantees of unreasonable search and seizure," said Sen. Dianne Feinstein, California Democrat. "I think this is also going to present a growing impediment to the confirmation of General Hayden."
But White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said she doesn't see it derailing the nomination.
"The feedback has been positive, and we're full steam ahead on his nomination," she said.
Most Republicans on the Judiciary Committee -- while not disagreeing with their chairman -- cautioned that it was no time for political grandstanding and that the larger wiretapping program is imperative to the war on terror.
"This is nuts," Sen. Jon Kyl, Arizona Republican, said of Democratic complaints about the program. "We are in war. We have got to collect intelligence on the enemy, and you can't tell the enemy how you're going to do it."
Mr. Specter noted that the telephone companies have testified before the committee at least once before in hearings that led to the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which deals with the president's authority to wiretap foreign agents without a warrant.
"We're going to call on all those telephone companies to provide information to try to figure out exactly what is going on," he said.
Google "sketch up" Anyone tried this free program yet?
Quite a nifty little architecture app, like a super lite version of CAD.
Quite good for free anyway.
I just spent the last 2 hours listening to partyvibe radio and constructing a model of our system. I think I have too much time on my hands when I don't go out on a Saturday :)
Have a look:
Microsoft and Google Set to Wage Arms Race May 2, 2006
Microsoft and Google Set to Wage Arms Race
By STEVE LOHR and SAUL HANSELL
Bill Gates, the chairman of Microsoft, described Google in an interview late last year as a worthy adversary, a company to test Microsoft's mettle. "This is hypercompetition, make no mistake," Mr. Gates observed.
The rivalry between the companies is growing more combative, and with good reason: the outcome is likely to shape the future of competition in computing and the way people use information technology.
A measure of how seriously Microsoft takes the challenge came last Thursday when it announced that its spending would rise sharply next year, about $2 billion higher than previous estimates. Much of the extra money, analysts say, is going to meet the threat from companies offering advertising-supported Internet services and software, led by Google.
"Microsoft doesn't have to kill Google, but it has to narrow the gap," said Richard Sherlund, an analyst at Goldman Sachs & Company. "It has to be in the same ZIP code."
To succeed, Microsoft has to make strong inroads into Internet services and software, where Google is a leader. "It's clear that if we fail to do so, our business as we know it is at risk," Ray Ozzie, a chief technical officer, warned in an e-mail memo to Microsoft employees last year.
Microsoft enters that battle from a stronghold: its lucrative, powerful business in personal computer software. Google has asserted that Microsoft's next Web browser typically steers users to Microsoft's search service, limiting consumer choice and potentially hurting Google, the leading Internet search engine.
Microsoft says Google's objections are mistaken, and that its new browser, Internet Explorer 7, increases a user's search options.
But Google has advantages of its own, and the Internet services business is very different from the desktop software industry.
The Internet model is one that offers search, e-mail, calendar, contacts and even word processing as services accessible remotely with a PC or hand-held device with a Web browser. Typically, Google invents a new service or feature, makes it a free Web-based service, and only later figures out how to make money on it from advertising of some kind.
That ad-supported software, distributed as a Web service, is a threat to Microsoft's model of selling licensed desktop software, at least in the consumer market. Corporations have so far shown less interest in ad-supported software as an Internet service.
To smaller software companies, Google's strategy appears to have the same competitive impact as Microsoft's tried-and-true practice of bundling more software programs and features into its Windows operating system.
Danny Sullivan, editor of Search Engine Watch, a Web newsletter, said that in some niches of the software business, Google is casting the same sort of shadow over Silicon Valley that Microsoft once did.
"You've got people who don't even feel they can launch a product for fear that Google will get in," Mr. Sullivan said.
Google, he said, has acquired companies and then made their products free, roiling the markets in which they compete. Google has introduced free versions of the graphics software made by SketchUp and of the Internet analytics service from Urchin, two companies that it bought.
And Google won a bid to offer wireless Internet service in San Francisco at no charge, hoping to make money by selling local advertising. If this model proves to be successful, it could cut into the business of other Internet providers and wireless phone companies.
Now Google is starting to move directly into Microsoft's core market. It recently acquired Writely, a Web-based word processor.
How far Google can eat into Microsoft's software franchise is uncertain. But Microsoft fears that Google could become a kind of operating system of the Internet in the same way that Windows is the dominant operating system of personal computing.
For its part, Google wants to avoid becoming the "next Netscape," a reference to the early leader in the browser market that Microsoft eventually thwarted.
"A lot of the people who are at the center of Google had done hand-to-hand combat with Microsoft in the 90's, and I don't think they have forgotten," observed John Battelle, the editor of SearchBlog, a Web log on search technology.
The group includes Eric E. Schmidt, Google's chief executive and former executive of Sun Microsystems; Omid Kordestani, its senior vice president for sales and a former Netscape executive; and John Doerr, a Google director and venture capitalist who was a prime backer of Netscape, Sun Microsystems and other Microsoft rivals.
"They are very worried," Mr. Battelle said, "about Microsoft leveraging their I.E. monopoly," referring to Microsoft's commanding share of the browser market, which Microsoft includes in Windows.
The fears of both companies may well be exaggerated. For Microsoft, the PC promises to remain a powerful business and technology franchise for years to come. And Google should benefit from the fact that Microsoft, after a federal antitrust judgment against it and a settlement with the government, is more restrained in its tactics and behavior than it once was.
A major expense of their escalating battle lies in the very nature of the Internet services realm: the digital engine rooms and power plants that must be built to support it. Google does not disclose technical details, but estimates of the number of computer servers in its data centers range up to a million.
Last month, when reporting its quarterly earnings, Google reported a doubling in its rate of capital investment, mainly in computer servers, network equipment and space for data centers, and said it would spend at least $1.5 billion over the next year.
As Google grows, so does its need to store and handle more Web site information, video and e-mail content on its servers. "Those machines are full," Mr. Schmidt, the chief executive, said in an interview last month. "We have a huge machine crisis."
To catch up, Microsoft is also stepping up capital spending as it invests aggressively to build data centers worldwide. "It is becoming more capital intensive," said Mr. Sherlund of Goldman Sachs. "But the company has a bulging cash position and no debt. That's not a constraint for Microsoft."
However deep their pockets and established their names, the two companies will mainly compete on one point. "In the long run," Mr. Battelle said, "it's about whether you have the best service."
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/02/technology/02google.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
getting emails from partyvibe how do i stop this? i seem to get and email in my spam account everytime someone posts anything, and its a nightmare. i cant seem to stop it, and i dont want to block partyvibe cos i might get summat decent.
google I'm pleased to say that we've regained our authority site status on google having lost it briefly when I made changes to the site's last month (ie: moved gallery/rave.partyvibe.com back to www.partyvibe.com/)...
Party website with games, mp3, radio, movies, pictures, calendar ...
[SIZE=-1]In 1995 because of repression on drugs, the free party and rave party scene in the ... What is a rave party or free party? - I've never been to one before. ...
www.partyvibe.com/ - 25k - 4 Apr 2006 - Cached - Similar pages
Chat - Games - Site Map - Radio
More results from www.partyvibe.com »[/SIZE]
The psychology behind Internet users and how your website affects them The psychology behind Internet users and how your website affects them
Everybody on this site is here to enhance their knowledge on building the perfect community site, whether it be one which has proactive users that constantly take part in related discussions, through to those who want a spot on http://www.big-boards.com/ (who doesn't!). My article is more aimed towards the former.
Lately it seems that the Internet is flooded with SEO techniques and ways to trick google into having the highest possible page rank. This is great and all, but there's no point having a high ranked site when your content isn't keeping those users who visited your site there.
I'll be discussing the psychology behind how users view a website and the different ways you can make your site more active. This can range from encouraging discussion; turning users into your very own set of moderators who abide by your rules and notify others when wrong; to simply making users register upon visiting.
Interested yet? Then read on.
How groups act and how to "control" them
Groups ranging in size from two or three people to millions within a community are being made at different bulletin boards around the Internet. A whole range of psychology theory can be applied to these situations - such as issues covering leadership, alliances and communication patterns to name a few.
One large issue that many community admins face is controlling the amount of off topic chat. Usually forums are created to gather like minded individuals to discuss a given topic, but sometimes members may talk around a topic into something completely unrelated. One site of interest is http://www.digg.com which leads to any of its front page links becoming amongst the highest viewed sites on the Internet for a period of time. Great! ill just post a link to my site and watch all the users flow in! Sorry, its not that simple as digg only shows links to sites which are technology related. How? It controls this by allowing its members to vote on whether the linked site is related to digg's users or not.
The psychology behind this covers influencing conformity. There are two types of conformity: Normative Influence and Informational influence. The first is more relevant to controlling off topic discussion and covers peer pressure. The reasons include; fear of rejection, wanting approval, simply to be identified as part of a group and to show loyalty. Digg however you want to look at it, uses peer pressure to keep it's links relevant, but it does so in a way that doesn't deter its users.
Everybody wants some kind of approval within society and this can be used to your advantage. There are many different ways of doing this, such as a reputation meter that members can click on to show that the users post was good. A good implementation of this can be found on: http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/
Another idea is used within this very article on TAZ. The article contest promotes members to provide their insight into information that is useful to the site and the TAZ members vote on which is the best article. All of these are ways to control and promote the type of content posted to your community without looking like an evil admin.
Of course the layout of features and different areas of your community can aid in combating off topic discussion. One clean way to stop people replying with a few words is to remove the fast reply box. This small text form at the bottom of a post is usually the culprit for simple replies and by removing it is a quick and simple solution.
Is it all bad?
Controlling or limiting off topic discussion is all well and good but it can also lead to your forums feeling distant. Talking about any topic covers basic social needs and if that isn't catered for, you run the risk of alienating your target user group. It can be seen throughout the web that as members become more personally involved in discussions they begin to obey the sites' rules and community as a whole.
Instead of limiting the amount of off topic discussion you can simply move any of these topics to a suitably named forum, after all that's what moderation is for!
The positioning and name of the off topic forum can also have an effect on the amount of discussion. A general rule of thumb is: the forums that you would like to be the most active should be placed towards the top of the site in immediate view. The reasons for this are fairly obvious, and by putting the off topic forum discussion lower down it also emphasises a hierarchy that is present within the site, having more important forums at the top.
The name of the off topic forum can also control the amount of discussion. By labelling the off topic forum as "General Discussion" it can lead to users joining purely to post there. However if a negative name is given to this off topic forum, it promotes the use of other forums present on the site. Some examples are: "Miscellaneous Topics" and "Obscure Topics".
How to get users to join my forum!
This is what all new community admins are asking and the answer leads on from another question. What is it that people want? What they can't have.
A simple answer, but I'm not just going to leave it there, I'll elaborate. Ever seen someone with an amazing car and wanted to be in their place? Well, that same feeling can be used on your site to promote new visitors to join your community. In a lot of cases each community offers some sort of content which immediately grabs the visitors attention. By limiting the entry to this content you can give off a need to access it, which leads to more member joins.
Overall, to get a new visitor to join your community you have to limit entry to some original content. It also helps if you provide a preview, to entice the viewer into joining. This idea works well for large communities but for smaller ones it can be difficult, especially when your just starting off. In this case, I'd recommend getting friends who you trust to post on the forums. Using this method you can also have these members work as your very own set of guardians (as talked about below).
Get my members to tell others when they're wrong
This is an article in itself. The overall psychology theory covers group dynamics and how friendships are forged between people. Usually if you look on most forums with these "guardian angel" members present they all share something in common. These members are all good friends. Their friendships were most likely made during general banter (off topic discussion, gah!). After using your forums to communicate for some time, these users will feel some connection to the site and become loyal members. The users that actually help to protect and help on your site are those that are pre-programmed from a young age to be philanthropists. I could talk about this subject for days, but i doubt this article would get read if it's too long as a result. Until next time...
Side Note: The end has no end
This has been a fairly brief introduction into some of the psychology behind how users take part in discussion and how to "control" them. If this article is a success (regardless of whether i win or not) in terms of TAZ member interest, I'd be happy to go more in-depth into the psychology, involved specifically within bulletin board communities.
The Internet and Drugs: the Risks and Challenges involved We also get a mention in a report by UNESCO:
http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0013/001320/132092e.pdf
"Harm reduction associations seem to be more common in the UK than elsewhere. There are sites for heroin abusers: www.saferinjecting.org, www.lifeline.org.uk, www.mliners.org and sites about policies: that of the Green Party Drugs Group www.green party.org.uk/drugs contains much news about research and other topics, and Ukcia www.ukcia.org is a major source of information about cannabis. Other sites target the rave party scene: www.partyvibe.com, www.ecstasy.org, and www.crew2000.co.uk"
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.YesNoPrivacy policy
You can revoke your consent any time using the Revoke consent button.Revoke cookies
